By Karen

Updated October 8, 2024.

Parade of Ships and Ship Tours 2024

SF Fleet Week - Oct 7-14, 2024

Parade of Ships 2024:
Friday of Fleet Week, October 11, 2024, at 11:00 am- 12:00 pm.

Ship Tours Schedule for 2024

When:

Wednesday, Oct. 9: 10-4, Pier 27: USS Somerset (amphibious landing ship).

Thursday, Oct. 10: 10-4, Pier 27: USS Somerset. Pier 35: USCGC Bertholf (Coast Guard cutter).

Friday, Oct. 11 No ship tours.

Saturday, Oct. 12: 10-4, Pier 27: USS Somerset. Piers 30/32: USS Tripoli (amphibious assault ship w/helicopters). Pier 35: USCGC Bertholf. Piers 15/17: HMCS Regina (Canadian frigate, 10-3:30).

Sunday, Oct. 13: 10-4, same as Saturday.

Monday, Oct. 14: 9-12, Pier 27: USS Somerset. Piers 30/32: USS Tripoli.

All the ship tours are free.

If you've ever been curious about what it's like to be on a war ship, this is your chance to explore some of them. They will be moored at some of the piers along the San Francisco waterfront.

Where:

The tours for the U.S. Navy ships will be held at Pier 27 and Piers 30/32.

The Coast Guard ship will be at Pier 35.

The Canadian ship will be at Piers 15/17.

Pier 35 is walking distance from Fisherman's Wharf; Piers 30/32 are not.

Piers 30/32 are about a six block walk along the waterfront from the Ferry Building, past the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pier 27 is about a 10 minute walk from Pier 39 towards the Ferry Building.

See my page on where the piers are, with maps of the odd and even piers.

Tip: get there early. The lines can be long, hours long at times. Also, there's no shade while waiting, so plan accordingly.

Piers with Ship Open Houses in 2024: 15/17, 27, 30/32 and 35.

The map shows the piers where ships are stationed during current and past Fleet Weeks.

(Map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA)

Pier 35 is near Fisherman's Wharf, and Pier 27 is a little further down the waterfront. Piers 15/17 are closer to the Ferry Building.

Piers 30/32 are in the industrial area past the Ferry Building, just on the other side of the Bay Bridge.

Various piers along the San Francisco waterfront are used for the ship tours in different years.

Pier 35 is used to handle the overflow cruise ships when the Cruise Ship Terminal at Pier 27 is in use. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien liberty ship is berthed here now.

It's not far from Pier 39 and Pier 33 (Alcatraz Landing) so parking is challenging.

Pier 35

Pier 27 is about a third of the way between Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building. This is the pier used for the cruise ships.

View of Pier 27 SF Embarcadero from Coit Tower

View of Pier 27 Cruise Terminal from Coit Tower

Piers 15/17 house the Exploratorium. There's an expensive parking lot across the street (lots of break-ins - beware!).

Parking lot across the street from the Exploratorium, San Francisco

Parking Lot at Pier 15

Piers 30 and 32 are at the end of Bryant Street, on the Embarcadero. There is a grand plan to develop this pier into offices and retail spaces, but it hasn't begun yet.

Entrance to parking lot at Piers 30 & 32 in San Francisco

Entrance to Piers 30/32

See my page on San Francisco piers for maps of all the piers and what's located at each one.

Parade of Ships

To kick off Fleet Week in San Francisco, the Navy sends a line of ships sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge and past the waterfront area.

Some of these ships are available to explore during the ship tours.

Parade of Ships, with a destroyer sailing past the San Francisco skyline in 1981

The Parade of Ships in 1981

The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. on Friday of Fleet Week, October 11, 2024, with the first ship passing under the bridge, followed by the remaining ships.

The procession usually lasts for an hour.

Best Places to Watch

There is a good view of the ships anywhere along the waterfront from the bridge itself to the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street.

Go onboard the ships...

US Navy ship available for ship tours, SF Fleet Week

U.S. Navy ship available for exploration

Each year, typically five of the Navy and Coast Guard ships have open houses.

US Navy sailors at ship tours SF Fleet Week

Fleet Week sailors

The public is invited to go aboard, meet the sailors and explore the war ships: pretty cool.

Long line to board US Navy ships during SF Fleet Week

Lines for the ship tours can be long!

Advice for every year: this is very popular, so go early if you can. Expect some serious lines.

Ship tours are free.

Important: be sure to check out the Navy's requirements for visiting the ships, e.g. no children under 7, government-issued, photo ID's required for all 18 and over, no high heels, no large backpacks or large purses (what = "large"?), no glass containers, no pets including service animals, etc.

Plus, there is no storage area for bicycles, skateboards, or strollers, and they can't be left on the pier near the ships.

See current status on the official Fleet Week site for more info.

In 2024, masks are not required to board the ships.

SF Fleet week, ship tour of USS Stockdale, guided missile destroyer. On the deck, flags waving.

On the Deck of the USS Stockdale

Some ships from previous years

They usually have the same types of ships each year, though the individual ships vary.

This gives you an idea of what will be available for tours.

Ships from 2023...

USS John P Murtha (LPD-26)

USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60)

Ships from 2022...

USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62)

The USS Fitzgerald is a guided missile destroyer, commissioned in 1995 and based in San Diego.

The ship was named after Lieutenant William C. Fitzgerald who was killed in combat in Vietnam in 1967. He received the Navy Cross for heroism in sacrificing himself to save his men.

The Fitzgerald was involved in a serious accident in 2017 when it collided with a Philippine container ship near Japan. Seven crewmen were killed, including the ship's commanding officer. The investigation concluded it was caused at least in part by crew failures, and the damage repairs took two years. See article on the investigation for details.

USS Princeton (CG 59)

The USS Princeton is a Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser. The ship can launch short and long range missiles, and carries anti-submarine helicopters.

The Princeton hit a mine during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and was severely damaged, and three crew members were injured.

She was commissioned in 1989 and is based in Long Beach.

USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)

The USS Harpers Ferry is an amphibious assault ship that transports troops, equipment, vehicles, and helicopters for beach landings.

She has been involved in a number of humanitarian missions over the years, performing rescues due to cyclones, typhoons, earthquakes and a ship sinking.

The Harpers Ferry was commissioned in 1995 and is due to be retired in 2024.

USS Kansas City (LCS 22)

The USS Kansas City is a littoral combat ship designed for quick maneuvering close to shore. It can land troops, clear mines, and protect larger ships. The ship also carries missile launchers and helicopters that take off from its deck.

The USS Kansas City is a relatively new addition to the US Navy, built in 2018 and commissioned in 2021. The home port is San Diego.

USCGC Terrell Horne (WPC 1131)

Senior Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne

CPO Horne on a training mission

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne was commissioned in 2019 and is based in San Pedro, near Los Angeles.

She was named after Senior Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, who died in 2012 protecting his fellow sailors when their boat was rammed by drug smugglers.

Her missions include sea rescues, smuggling enforcement, and patrolling port areas.

Parking ideas...

For information on parking in the area, see my tips on Embarcadero parking.

Note: I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through some of the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This helps me provide all the free information I post on this website.

Another parking option is to book a parking spot in advance through one of the parking apps. I've been using them more and more; you can try Spot Hero for the best possibilities.

Pier 35 usually hosts one of the ships and is right in the heart of things, near Pier 39 and Alcatraz Landing (Pier 33). This area will probably book up the fastest.

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